Louisiana Observes National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisianians know severe weather. In the last six months alone, the state has experienced two federally declared disasters, Hurricane Isaac and the January severe storms and floods.

The week of March 3-9 marks National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges Louisiana residents to add to their existing knowledge as they make themselves, their families and their homes storm ready.

FEMA and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have joined together to increase awareness of severe weather and to motivate individuals, families, businesses and communities to take actions that will prepare them to face severe weather. “Be a Force of Nature” is the slogan for this year’s campaign.

“FEMA’s mission includes supporting the nation in bettering its capability to prepare for severe weather and other disasters,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “Initiatives like Severe Weather Preparedness Week help people everywhere learn how they can prepare for the sorts of weather-related hazards they face in their communities.”

Louisiana experiences tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, extreme heat, thunderstorms and hail. Residents can take steps now to reduce the impact of these events on their families, including:

• Take a “Pledge to Prepare” at www.ready.gov/severe-weather.
• Put together an emergency kit for your family.
• Get a NOAA weather radio.

LaHouse Resource Center at Louisiana State University showcases more ways people can safeguard their homes. Click on http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/11415.

To learn more about severe weather, click www.weather.gov and http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/.  For resources in Spanish, click www.listo.gov. Disaster preparedness is featured on www.flash.org.

More information on Louisiana disaster recovery is available online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. FEMA is also on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA.